Syrian central bank's fortune stays safe as new chapter begins in Damascus
Damascus saw quick power shift as Assad left for Russia‚ ending decades-long rule. Central bankʼs resources remained untouched during brief unrest‚ with staff back at work under new government
In a swift turn-of-events‚ Damascus experienced minimal bank-related issues as Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia on Dec 10th. The ex-presidentʼs departure marked the end of a long-running civil conflict and his familys half-century control over Syria
The central banks main vault stayed secure despite some minor break-ins to the building (which only affected surface-level areas). Bassel Hamawi‚ who leads Damascus Commerce group‚ got word from officials that the primary storage remained untouched; the new government now controls these resources
Three different sources confirmed the good news: the bankʼs core assets werent compromised during the brief un-rest that followed the militaryʼs stand-down. Both Issam Hazima – who runs the bank since 21 – and his assistant Maysaa Sabreen kept their posts
The banks exact holdings remain un-clear‚ as no data was shared in about 14 years; however back in 2010 resources were at:
- $18.5 billion in international funds
- 25.8 tons of gold (12% of reserves)
- Various other assets
Staff members showed up ready for work at the grand central building on tuesday. One worker‚ Sumayra al-Mukli‚ shared her thoughts while walking in: “God willing we will start a new shift‚ a new day‚ a new life – everything new“
